Sergeant 1st Class Jaime Cancelsoto loves participating in sports. He believes being physically and mentally fit is the cornerstone for being successful in the military and in life. The Sarasota, Fla., center commander’s favorite activity is cycling, which he said takes a lot of dedication, discipline, and personal courage to stay at a competitive level. “Cycling is a very demanding sport yet very rewarding in many aspects, and this is why I love being on the bike," he said. "Training is hard but if you put yourself into it, it will pay off. To me, cycling is very similar to the Army and maybe this is why I love it so much.” This hard work paid off for Cancelsoto when he placed 3rd in his age group in the Race for Humanity in Dade City, Fla., Feb 8. More than 600 riders participated in the hour-long race, which benefits the East Pasco Habitat for Humanity and Catholic Charities in San Antonio, Fla. This is just one of several races Cancelsoto rides in each year.He won two Florida races and finished in the top five in many other races during 2013.Cancelsoto also recently finished a cycling event in Puerto Rico called the La Vuelta Puerto Rico. The three-day, 375 mile long race takes riders on a 15,000 foot vertical climb as they circle the island. “That is one of the greatest accomplishments in my life; I picked up couple of friends and went to Puerto Rico to pedal for three consecutive days," he said. "Only a fellow cyclist would understand the sense of accomplishment that you feel when all is done” Cancelsoto competes in about 10 races a years.

His success has also picked up in his career with his recent selection for promotion to E-8. “It is an honor to be selected for promotion to the next level," he said. "I owe it to those leaders I have had along the way for their mentorship as well as their leadership and to my family for their support all these years."